Contageous enthusiasm

'Come for a pizza party'. The invitation sounded simple enough and the acceptance was even less complicated. Like all meetings of friends, I knew that this was going to be an experience not to be missed.

One of our priests has recently returned from a sabbatical leave, and wanted to share some of his experiences with us. The setting was a simple table surrounded with eager ears and an even more excited heart and tongue which told of adventures lived in a land we have all heard of, but which some never have the chance to visit. The raconteur was Msgr. Jean-Paul Jolicoeur (or JP as he is known to many), and the stories originated in the Eternal City (Rome) and continued into parts of the Holy Land.

This was a simple encounter, quite like what I picture the gatherings must have been like when the disciples returned from their treks or when the apostles gathered for a meal with good friends and told stories of their daily encounters, their journey of faith, their musings, their doubts, their joys.

Thanks to modern technology, and the fact that J-P loves to take photos, he even treated us to some of the myriad of pictures he took during his three-month stay. The mixture of warm camaraderie, fraternal conversation and respectful listening as the story was told was refreshing and good for the soul. In its retelling, the experience is shared by those who lived it, with those who entered into the exchange of conversation.

Isn't this what it must have been like for the disciples as they continued the work of proclaiming the good news? Was their enthusiasm as infectious as his? Did others feel the need to deepen their experience of faith by coming to the table, and by partaking in the feast offered even today for all those who are invited? Do we dare allow ourselves to taste of this enthusiasm ourselves, and to get caught up in it's ongoing power to warm our hearts with zeal?

Watching Ps and Qs

During the pontificate of John Paul II, great strides were made in the on-going dialogue between Christians and Jews. In fact JPII became somewhat of a hero to many of the Jewish people and was praised for forging relationships between these two traditions which have not always had a smooth time of it.

Having been deeply scarred by the holocaust in the 1930s and 1940s, he himself had lost some of his dearest friends, and was therefore uniquely qualified to act as a catalyst in promoting unity between the Catholic Church and 'our elder brothers in faith'. Much of the dialogue which has gone on in recent years was begun thanks to the Vatican II document Nostra Aetate which outlined the situation between Jews and the Catholic Church.

Forty years have now gone by since the publication of that landmark document. The work continues, and it is perhaps providential that the last two bearers of the Fisherman's ring have both been so closely marked by the events of the genocide that took place during the Second World War. For his part, Benedict XVI acknowledged the work of reconciliation in a letter on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of Nostra Aetate which he addressed to His Eminience, Walter Cardinal Kasper, President of the Pontifical Commission for Religious Relations with Jews.

In preparation for Holy Week this year, the Vatican rewrote one of the prayers of the liturgy for Good Friday, with an eye to improving the language out of respect for our elder brothers in faith, but this edit was greeted with mixed emotions by some in the Jewish community. In a statement published today, the Vatican continued its efforts to repair any damage that might have been inflicted.

All this delicate diplomacy shows that when all is said and done, it's hard work to keep the peace, but in the end, peace is what Jesus came to bring. He expects us to settle for nothing less.

Spotlight on grandparents

You know the old saying, 'Parents get to discipline their children, but grandparents just get to love them'(?) Well, sometimes these days, grandparents are getting the double privilege of spoiling their grandchildren AND having to raise them.

When I first heard of this phenom, I thought it couldn't really be that much of a statistic, but I've recently discovered that up to 10% of children in this city are being raised by their grandparents! Wow! That's a huge number. I'm sure that the reasons for this are myriad: both parents having to work in order to make enough money to support their families; single-parent families (which are at a record number these days in some locales); reconstituted families due to second and third mariages ... the list goes on.

I've heard of this reality before, but it was only during a recent conversation relating to our parish outreach project, the Beech Street Community Kitchen, that I realized the impact grandparents must be having in the lives of their grandchildren, especially if they are actively involved in raising them. We have been made acutely aware of families who are in need because of various economic pressures, but there's a whole new population to be considered if we open the doors to grandparents who are doubling as parents.

Even the Vatican seems to be getting in on the act. The Pontifical Council for the Family has recently announced that its annual plenary assembly, a meeting for the purpose of discussion and possible action, will focus this year on Grandparents: Their Testimony and Presence in the Family. The assembly begins today in Rome and will conclude on Saturday. The fruit of this dialogue is sure to spark at least some debate, and possibly some discoveries that will truly be worthy of note.

Some cultures, such as the Chinese have long histories of multi-generational families living under one roof. There is a wisdom to be gained from living in close proximity with members of one's own family, and the more generations that are present, the more we seem to learn about compassion, love and acceptance - especially in these times of smaller nuclear families (or no nuclear families at all as the case may be).

In cultures such as these, there is a certain wisdom that is born from a seemingly innate respect for one's elders. Perhaps today's society needs to return to such sources in order to re-think the wisdom of allowing economic forces to dictate the values of family, however that unit is defined in today's terms.

A day of great rejoicing

This day was made by the Lord; we rejoice and are glad in it.

(Antiphon for Easter Day)

Late tonight, I chanced upon the news reports broadcast by the local ABC affiliate in Houston, TX. 'Why', you may ask, 'was he watching local news from the deep south of the United States of America'. Well, thanks to some friends who live in the metropolitan Houston area, I knew that today was a day of great rejoicing for the Church in the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston.

After more than ten years of planning, and three years of construction, the new Co-Cathedral of the Sacred Heart was dedicated today. As I watched the video clips published by ABC, I couldn't help thinking that those responsible for this building have done a superb job at planning, fundraisinig and publicizing the events of this day ... and they have used this unique opportunity to provide some invaluable catechesis for the faithful of the Archdiocese (and others who look on from points beyond its borders) about all the steps involved in bringing such a mamoth project to completion.

More than 2000 people gathered in the Co-Cathedral for the celebration which was filled with colour, pagentry and prayer ... with just the right amount of humor thrown in for good measure. We even can see a copy of the order of service for this special Mass.

Congratulations to our friends from the south. This is indeed a day made by the Lord, and we should rejoice and be glad in it.

B16 in the USA

From April 15-20 of this year, a newcomer will touch down in the United States, and those who are preparing for his arrival are abuz with the details. For the first time in his now three-year-long pontificate, Benedict XVI is coming to the United States.

The theme for this visit has been advertised as Christ our Hope, and therefore Benedict XVI is in a sense a pilgrim of hope for our neighbours to the south. Details about the plans for this trip are available on a website which has been set up by the Knights of Columbus, one of His Holiness' major sponsors. This use of the web will allow not only those who will be privileged enough to partake in this visit, but other American Catholics from all over the country to follow the visit. In addition, other pope watchers will also be tuning in - be sure of it.

What news will Benedict XVI be bringing to the Church in the United States? What encouragement will he bring and what challenges will he throw to the leadership as well as the people in the pews? Some would say that we've already been granted a glimpse of this courtesy of a recent visit to the United States by the Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarsisio Bertone. For more details about this theory, visit Whispers in the Loggia and check out the post entitled Pope Trip08: The Lost Prefaces. It was published on March 27 of this year.

Just released today is the news that during his upcoming visit, not only dignitaries but the general public will have a chance to see His Holiness. Details about the routes to be travelled during his three-day visit are still being finalized, but the popemobile is already en route to the States, and will be used to transport Benedict XVI as he travels between the White House (following his meeting with President Bush) and the Catholic University of America, where he is expected to address students.

Will Benedict XVI's pilgrimage to Washington and New York bring back memories of John Paul II's visits to the United States? What new life will this historic visit bring for the American people, and especially for the Church in that country. Stay tuned.

Three years later

Can you believe that it was three years ago tonight that young people by the hundreds of thousands stood vigil in St. Peter's Square. John Paul II, the only pope that most of them had ever known, lay perilously close to death in his apartment on the second floor of the Apostolic Palace.

During the 26 years of his pontificate, John Paul II had endeared himself to the youth of the world. For the first time in known history, the Holy Father had taken the initiative to visit his flock in all corners of the world, and to speak to us of his abiding love for all. He didn't use puffed up language; he used the language of the heart to speak to our hearts, and this is what endeared him to so many.

On the day of his funeral, the cry was heard from the crowd, 'Santo Subito' - Make him a saint soon. In the hearts of many, he was already a holy man, but the procedure he himself had refined would have to be followed in order for the declaration of his sanctity to be formalized. Three years have now gone by, and some concessions have been realized.

Normally, a cause for sainthood cannot be introduced until five years after the death of the person in question, but this period can be shortened at the discretion of the Holy Father for just reasons. John Paul himself shortened the waiting period for the Servant of God, Teresa of Calcutta whose cause is advancing as we speak.

Only four short months after his death, Benedict XVI gave the OK for the cause of beatification for the Servant of God, John Paul II to be examined. Since that time, the report documenting the heroic virtues of John Paul II has been in progess, and is now nearing completion. Once the report has been submitted, it will be up to the Prefect for the Congregation of the Causes of Saints, along with his team, to study the file and to present conclusions to the Holy Father.

The document will be studied by various theologians and eventually the Holy Father could grant a decree of recognition of John Paul's heroic virtue, which would permit the Church to refer to him as Venerable John Paul II. Before he is beatified, a miracle must be attributed to his name. There are a number of miracles which have been reported, allegedly attributed to the intercession of John Paul. They are being investigated as possibilities for his eventual beatification and canonization.

The call of the crowd continues: Santo subito!

On belief

The Church sets aside 50 days to celebrate the miracle of Easter, and I've always wondered about why they do this. In fact it's human beings who need the time to look at the miracle of the resurrection and start to understand it as it pertains to us. When we're little children, Easter is all about chocolate, Easter egg hunts and holidays from school, but as we grow into adulthood and take on the responsibility of families of our own, our understanding of this season changes - that's a good thing.

Easter is about resurrection. It's about the story of a man who we believe overcame the power of death (something none of us is able to do on our own). In fact, death takes on a completely different meaning when we see it as an invitation to life. Human beings who see death as a defeat or as an end to life often are afraid of its finality, but those who see it as an invitation to life can tend to be comforted by the knowledge that there's something else to go to - new life.

At times such as Christmas and Easter, I am drawn to the reality of death. Perhaps this seems strange at first glance, but it seems to make sense in the light of new life that is celebrated at the time of Christ's birth and His resurrection. Easter then becomes one of the times in the year when we are reminded that much of the violence that seems to be all around us is not the final word on the subject. Instead, there is hope of a new life yet to come.

For more on this subject, listen to or read the text of my homily for today.